1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game machine having communication terminals provided such that they are exposed at one side of the main body of the game machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various portable electronic game machines are proposed and sold. Conventional electronic game machines of this type have been proposed which not only allow games to be played within themselves, but also allow optical communication or direct connection to another electronic game machine through communication terminals to allow exchange of data.
Thus, such machines are characterized in that, for example, they enable the exchange of fighting data with other electronic game machines, which allow a match to be fought between the two electronic game machines and thus, increase the variety of the play to provide doubled fun.
Existing electronic game machines which perform optical communication to exchange data with another electronic game machine have a problem in that the component cost is increased because of the need for electronic components exclusively used for optical communication such as optical transmission light-emitting elements for transmitting optical signals and optical reception light-receiving elements for receiving optical signals.
Further, such existing machines have a problem in that they must incorporate an additional special communication circuit portion associated with optical communication, which increases the complexity of the circuit configuration and hence increases the cost of the electronic game machine as a whole.
On the other hand, in the case of the latter example of the prior art, the overall circuit configuration can be simplified because it exchanges data with another electronic game machine by directly connecting thereto through communication terminals, and it therefore requires neither electronic component exclusively used for optical communication nor special communication circuit portion associated with optical communication.
However, since communication terminals are normally directly connected to an IC portion (integrated circuit portion) which is formed by a multiplicity of semiconductor elements stacked on one another, it is necessary to protect the IC portion from static electricity and a surge voltage input through the communication terminals.
For this reason, some electronic game machines incorporate embedded communication terminals to prevent the communication terminals from being directly touched by the hand of a person or any substance. In some other electronic game machines, an openable cap is provided so as to cover communication terminals to prevent the communication terminals from being directly touched by hand of a person or any substance by closing the cap when the communication terminals are not used.
As described above, although use of the communication terminals allows a circuit configuration to be simplified, it has a problem in that no significant reduction in component cost can be expected when communication terminals in a special configuration are used or openable cap is provided.